Rapid evacuation sled for patients and victims

Abstract

A patient evacuation sled has a bottom plastic sheet and a foam layer disposed thereabove. At least one spinal board is disposed between the bottom sheet and the foam layer, and a patient support plastic sheet is disposed above the foam layer. The bottom sheet, the foam layer, and the patient support sheet form a sandwiched portion configured to underlie a patient; peripheral edge portions of the bottom sheet and the patient support sheet are coupled together with substantially no foam layer therebetween. Plural horizontal straps are disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sled, and are coupled to the peripheral edge portions, and configured to, when tightened, at least partially enclose said patient in a cylindrically shaped cocoon. Plural wheel assemblies are coupled to each spinal board, at least a portion of each wheel assembly extends through corresponding holes in the bottom sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A foldup patient-evacuation sled, comprising;
 a bottom sheet having a head end and a foot end; 
 a foam mattress disposed above the bottom sheet; 
 a patient support sheet disposed above the mattress, 
 wherein a stack comprising the bottom sheet, the foam mattress, and the patient support sheet forms a sandwiched left side and a sandwiched right side, and the sandwiched left side and the sandwiched right side are configured to respectively enclose at least portions of left and right sides of a patient lying on the patient support sheet, and wherein a margin stack comprising the bottom sheet and the patient support sheet forms a sandwiched margin left side and a sandwiched margin right side; 
 a foot section coupled to the bottom sheet and dimensioned to substantially enclose the patient's feet and calves when the foot section is folded upward over the calves of the patient, the foot section being configured to fit beneath the sandwiched left side and the sandwiched right side when the patient is strapped within the sled; 
 a left-side knee open-ended loop handle sewed to the sandwiched margin left side, and a right-side knee open-ended loop handle sewed to the sandwiched margin right side; 
 a left horizontal knee strap portion sewed to the sandwiched margin left side and in between open ends of the left-side knee open-ended loop handle; 
 a right horizontal knee strap portion sewed to the sandwiched margin right side and in between open ends of the right-side knee open-ended loop handle, wherein both of the left and right horizontal knee strap portions are affixed to a bottom surface of the bottom sheet and wherein the left and right horizontal knee strap portions are configured to overlie the foot section when the foot section is folded upward over the calves of the patient; 
 a plurality of spinal boards disposed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sled, each spinal board being disposed above the bottom sheet and spaced apart from each other so that the sled may be folded in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the plurality of spinal boards being disposed more toward a head end of the sled than a foot end of the sled; 
 at least one anti-wear surface disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom sheet, the at least one anti-wear surface being disposed more toward the head end of the sled than the foot end of the sled; and 
 a plurality of wheel assemblies mounted on each spinal board, each wheel assembly having a wheel portion extending through respective holes in the bottom sheet. 
 
     
     
       2. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an angled left foot strap and an angled right foot strap, respectively coupled to lower portions of the sandwiched margin left side and the sandwiched margin right side, the angled foot straps being disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sled; and 
 an angled left foot strap connector portion and an angled right foot strap connector portion, respectively coupled to lower left and right sides of the foot section, the angled left foot strap connector portion and the angled right foot strap connector portion, respectively configured to couple with the angled left foot strap and the angled right foot strap. 
 
     
     
       3. The foldup sled according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a horizontal thigh strap affixed respectively to the sandwiched margin right side and to the sandwiched margin left side; 
 an angled left thigh strap and an angled right thigh strap, respectively coupled to middle portions of the sandwiched margin left side and the sandwiched margin right side, respectively adjacent to where the horizontal thigh strap is affixed to the sandwiched margin right side and to the sandwiched margin left side the angled thigh straps being disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sled; and 
 an angled left thigh strap connector portion and an angled right thigh strap connector portion, respectively coupled to mid left and right sides of the sled, the angled left thigh strap connector portion and the angled right thigh strap connector portion, respectively configured to couple with the angled left thigh strap and the angled right thigh strap. 
 
     
     
       4. The foldup sled according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an angled left head strap and an angled right head strap, respectively coupled to top portions of the sandwiched margin left side and the sandwiched margin right side, the angled head straps being disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sled; and 
 an angled left head strap connector portion and an angled right head strap connector portion, respectively coupled to top left and right sides of the sled, the angled left head strap connector portion and the angled right head strap connector portion, respectively configured to couple with the angled left head strap and the angled right head strap. 
 
     
     
       5. The foldup sled according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the angled left foot strap and the angled right foot strap and the angled left foot strap connector portion and the angled right foot strap connector portion are a first color; 
 the angled left thigh strap and the angled right thigh strap and the angled left thigh strap connector portion and the angled right thigh strap connector portion are a second color different from the first color; and 
 the angled left head strap and the angled right head strap and the angled left head strap connector portion and the angled right head strap connector portion are a third color different from the first and second colors. 
 
     
     
       6. The foldup sled according to  claim 5 , wherein the horizontal thigh strap comprises a horizontal thigh strap connector portion, the horizontal thigh strap and the horizontal thigh strap connector portion being disposed at a substantially right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sled. 
     
     
       7. The foldup sled according to  claim 6 , wherein the horizontal waist strap and the horizontal waist strap connector portion are a fourth color different from the first, second, and third colors. 
     
     
       8. The foldup sled according to  claim 7 , further comprising a horizontal chest strap and a horizontal chest strap connector portion, respectively coupled to mid portions of the sandwiched margin left side and the sandwiched margin right side, the horizontal chest strap and the horizontal chest strap connector portion being disposed at a substantially right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sled. 
     
     
       9. The foldup sled according to  claim 8 , further comprising a vertical foot strap and a vertical foot strap connector portion, at least one of which is coupled to a bottom portion of the sled, the vertical foot strap and the vertical foot strap connector portion being disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sled, at least one of the vertical foot strap and the vertical foot strap connector portion being configured to loop over at least one of the horizontal knee strap and the horizontal knee strap connector portion. 
     
     
       10. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of left side open-ended loop handles sewed to the sandwiched margin left side, and a plurality right-side open-ended loop handle sewed to the sandwiched margin right side. 
     
     
       11. The foldup sled according to  claim 10 , wherein the left side open-ended loop handles and the right side open-ended loop handles are disposed more toward the head end of the sled than the foot end of the sled. 
     
     
       12. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one anti-wear surface comprises a plurality of openings through which the plurality of wheel assemblies respectively protrude. 
     
     
       13. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one anti-wear surface comprises a semi-rigid plastic which is more rigid than the bottom sheet. 
     
     
       14. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , further comprising (i) a head towing strap coupled to the head end and (ii) a foot towing strap coupled to the foot end, each towing strap configured so that an ambulatory care-giver can tow a patient lying on said patient support sheet. 
     
     
       15. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plural spinal boards are articulatable with respect to each other about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sled so that, when the bottom sheet, the mattress, and the patient support sheet are folded in the direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sled, the spinal boards articulate with respect to each other. 
     
     
       16. The foldup sled according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a left-side waist open-ended loop handle sewed to the sandwiched margin left side, and a right-side waist open-ended loop handle sewed to the sandwiched margin right side; 
 a left horizontal waist strap portion sewed to the sandwiched margin left side and in between open ends of the left-side waist open-ended loop handle; and 
 a right horizontal waist strap portion sewed to the sandwiched margin right side and in between open ends of the right-side waist open-ended loop handle. 
 
     
     
       17. A patient-evacuation sled, comprising:
 a flexible plastic bottom sheet having a head end and a foot end; 
 a foam mattress disposed above the bottom sheet; 
 a flexible plastic patient support sheet disposed above the foam mattress; 
 a semi-rigid plastic sheet disposed below the bottom sheet; 
 at least three spinal boards disposed between the bottom sheet and the foam mattress, each spinal board extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the patient-evacuation sled and having at least five wheel assemblies coupled to a bottom surface of the spinal board, the bottom sheet and the semi-rigid plastic sheet each having at least one opening therein configured so that the at least five spinal board wheel assemblies extend therethrough, the at least three spinal boards being disposed more toward the head end than the foot end of the bottom sheet; 
 the bottom sheet and the patient support sheet being sewn together around at least a majority of a periphery thereof, to form a margin zone which has substantially no foam mattress between the bottom sheet and the patient support sheet; 
 a foot section coupled to the bottom sheet and dimensioned to substantially enclose the patient's feet and calves when the foot section is folded upward over the calves of the patient; 
 at least chest, waist, and knee straps coupled to said margin zone and disposed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sled, wherein a stack comprising the bottom sheet, the foam mattress and the patient support sheet forms at least one sandwiched portion configured to enclose at least a portion of a patient lying on the patient support sheet, and said chest, waist, and knee straps are configured to overlie the patient; and 
 a left-side knee open-ended loop handle sewed to a left margin zone, and a right-side knee open-ended loop handle sewed to a right margin zone; 
 a left horizontal knee strap portion sewed to the left margin zone in between open ends of the left-side knee open-ended loop handle; and 
 a right horizontal knee strap portion sewed to the right margin zone in between open ends of the right-side knee open-ended loop handle, both of the horizontal knee strap portions being affixed to a bottom surface of the bottom sheet, the left and right horizontal knee strap portions overlying the foot section when the foot section is folded upward over the calves of the patient. 
 
     
     
       18. A patient evacuation sled, comprising:
 a flexible plastic bottom sheet; 
 a foam layer disposed above the bottom sheet; 
 at least one rigid spinal board disposed between the bottom sheet and the foam layer; 
 a patient support plastic sheet disposed above the foam layer, 
 wherein a stack comprising the bottom sheet, the foam layer, and the patient support sheet forms a sandwiched portion configured to enclose portions of a patient lying on the patient support sheet, and peripheral edge portions of the bottom sheet and the patient support sheet are coupled together to form a margin zone with substantially no foam layer therebetween; 
 a foot section coupled to the bottom sheet and dimensioned to substantially enclose the patient's feet and calves when the foot section is folded upward over the calves of the patient; 
 a plurality of substantially horizontal straps disposed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sled, and coupled to said margin zone, and configured to, when tightened, at least partially enclose said patient in a cylindrically shaped cocoon, the horizontal straps being affixed to a bottom surface of the bottom sheet, one of the horizontal straps overlying the foot section when the foot section is folded upward over the calves of the patient; 
 a left-side waist open-ended loop handle sewed to a peripheral edge left side, and a right-side waist open-ended loop handle sewed to a peripheral edge right side; 
 a left horizontal waist strap portion sewed to the peripheral edge left side and in between open ends of the left-side waist open-ended loop handle; 
 a right horizontal waist strap portion sewed to the peripheral edge right side and in between open ends of the right-side waist open-ended loop handle; and 
 a plurality of wheel assemblies coupled to each of said at least one spinal boards, at least a portion of each said wheel assembly extending through corresponding holes in the bottom sheet.